Graduation
by Akirafanatic
Summary: I took this off Memories and made it it's own story. I don't know how long it will be. Also, for those who haven't read it in Memories, don't be fooled by the title ;P
1. Chapter 1

"Cheer up Eijun-kun, this is supposed to be a celebration for the seniors." Haruichi put a hand on the pitchers back, attempting to cheer him up. Eijun pouted but nodded, understanding he should at least _try_ and be happy for them.

Smiling, the pink haired first year watched Eijun go and congratulate Chris and the other seniors. He was relieved when Miyuki and Kuramochi started teasing his friend, as the pitcher seemed to regain some of his normal cheeriness.

Leaning against the wall, he sipped at his drink, watching everyone interact. He wasn't a big social person, and was content to just sit back and watch everything happen.

The whole school was here for this celebration, congratulating all the seniors who had graduated and allowing the underclassmen some extra time to say their goodbyes. It was a little crowded, but the overall mood was positive, even if there were a few tears being shed.

Noticing his brother was currently occupied with friends and admirers, he slipped toward the door. There'd be time for him to say his goodbyes later. For now, he simply wanted some fresh air and a little quiet.

Stretching his arms above his head, careful not to spill his drink, Haruichi smiled as he looked up at the stars. It was warm out, and the sky was clear, a perfect night for stargazing. Walking forward a little, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the peace, letting his shoulders relax and the smell of freshly cut grass fill his nose.

Hearing a small rustle behind him, he sighed. He hadn't even been gone that long and someone had found him. Opening his mouth to greet whoever had come, he turned.

/

Ryousuke chuckled to himself when he saw Haruichi slip out the door. His little brother never was one for big crowds. Excusing himself from the group, he made his way to the refreshments table, refilling his glass of water and snagging a cookie.

Staring at the crowd before him, he smiled when he spotted Miyuki stealing a quick kiss from Furuya, who frowned and pulled the catcher back for more. Eijun was beaming up at Chris, who had on his own soft smile. The duo had their hands intertwined as they talked.

Jun was flustered as Tetsu kept attempting to have him try some food or another, only to lick off any crumbs that may have been left behind. The rest of the regulars were out of sight, either chatting with friends or spending a few more moments with loved ones.

The older Kominato glanced around again, wondering where his _own_ loved one was. He didn't have to wonder long as two arms snaked around his waist. Kuramochi rested his head on the shorter teens' shoulder. "I'm going to miss you Ryou-san."

"You sound like I'm going to be gone for a long time."

"A year is a very long time."

"You're just going to have to find a way to make it go fast then." Kuramochi grinned and gave the third year a peck on the cheek, causing Ryousuke to sigh and roll his eyes. "Must I do everything?" Turning around, he grasped the second years' tie and crashed their lips together, nipping at his bottom lip a little harder than necessary.

Digging his fingers into the brown hair, he tugged sharply, getting a gasp from the younger teen. "R-Ryou-san."

"Such a masochist Youichi-chan." The short stop flushed red both at the comment and the fact he realized they were still at the party and had become a show for those nearby. As much as Kuramochi loved the sadistic pink haired male, he wasn't comfortable with so much PDA. Especially around those he'd have to deal with for another year.

Ryousuke grinned and let the teen go, enjoying the flustered look as he attempted to compose himself once more. Pulling the teen down once more for a shorter, softer kiss, the older teen smiled. "Take care of Haru-chan for me while I'm gone."

He didn't wait for an answer, instead moving back toward some classmates he hadn't said goodbye to yet.

/

_Kuramochi put his hand on Ryousukes' shoulder. The two were the only ones left, everyone else having gone back. Eventually, even Kuramochi turned and left, leaving only Ryousuke standing there._

_Slowly bending down, the older Kominato placed the flower on the fresh grave, tears finally sliding down his cheeks. _"I should have gone after you."

_After the graduation party all those years ago, Haruichi had disappeared. Nobody had realized until the next morning. The police had been called, but all that was left was the cup he'd been drinking from, the juice staining the grass._

_A month ago, the police had officially declared the youngest Kominato dead. The only reason that the funeral had been put off so long was because Ryousuke refused to accept it. He believed his baby brother was out there, alive._

_He'd finally broken down when he saw how much his assurance that the youngest was alive was hurting his parents. The last hope he'd had died as he let go of the flower, his head hanging and sobs coming._

_He regretted many things about that night, about the years before and after, but the main thing he couldn't forgive himself for was giving up on his brother. Even if he was alive, even if he needed help, even if he was praying for him, to Ryousuke, Haruichi was dead._

* * *

**So I made this into it's own story. Probably won't be very long, but I hope you like it! Let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

"This…is _much_ bigger than we've ever imagined." The officer took off his hat and made a cross on his chest as he stared in horror at the room before him. The entire room was filled with people, all frozen in time and looking as if they were simply asleep.

Each person had a little plaque, with their name, birthday and, more than likely, the date they were frozen. Peering closely at the one next to him, he found a little girl. She looked no older than six, with long blond curls and a frilly white dress. Her eyes were closed, but he'd be willing to bet they were big and blue, just like the doll she was holding.

The plaque before her read _'Anna. 10 May 1987. 17 December 1993.'_

The next plaque over had a boy, French by the look of it, who (according to the plaque) was around nine years old.

Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, he turned to the officers around him. "I want to know the oldest date and the most recent!" Two officers nodded and took off. "When we find the most recent, start going through missing persons and try to find a match! If these kid's parents are still alive, we need to let them know."

"W…What if we can't…_undo_…what's been done?"

He turned grim eyes to the young woman who'd recently joined. "Even so, we have to tell them. At least then they'll know." She nodded, taking a shuddering breath and steeling her expression before heading out to help the search. "I want doctors, scientists, _anyone_ who may be able to reverse this! And for the love of God, do _not_ let the media get wind of this!"

The rest of the officers scrambled to do as told, pulling out phones to contact doctors and scientists or anyone else who may be able to help. Turning to gaze back at the little girl, he put one hand on the container she was in. "We'll find out how to reverse this, I swear." Slowly walking down the row he was in, he looked at each face and the accompanying plaque, silently making the same promise to each sleeping face.

/

When Hana joined the police force, she never imagined that she'd have to deal with something like this. Sure, she knew she'd be catching criminals, writing tickets and dealing with complaints, but something this big was completely beyond her imagination.

All these children, taken from their families and kept like dolls. Frozen in time. Most would never be able to reunite with their families, as they'd been gone so long there was nobody left.

And they hadn't even found all of them yet.

Flipping through the files, she attempted to find matches for the children in front of her. They were the most recent, with the last one having been added not even a week before they'd found the place. So far, she'd found the files for the first thirty or so, only having to back seven years.

They'd been working non-stop from nearly two weeks, and had yet to contact any of the families. They were hoping to have the answer on whether or not they could reverse the process first.

Stopping to rub her eyes, Hana gazed sadly at the containers. She hoped they'd be able to identify all of them, but already knew it wouldn't be possible as they only had records back fifty years or so, and they'd already found containers dating back eighty or more.

Not to mention they were still working or getting the missing people reports from other countries. Some had shoved the most recent into officers' hands and sent them down with the promise to send more later, but others were still trying to gather everything together.

It was a mess, and Hana figured they'd probably _still_ be working on this some years down the road. Taking a deep breath, she dived back into the files, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.

/

Miyuki glanced around the room, sipping his wine and looking for any sign of his friend. Around him, the other regulars from the team ten years ago talked and laughed, but with a tinge of anticipation and worry in the air.

Everyone was waiting to see if Ryousuke would even show up.

The last time they'd seen the pink haired male was at the funeral two years ago. He'd kept in touch with Youichi, who was living with said male, and gotten updates through him which he then passed along to the others, knowing they were worried as well.

Youichi had texted him two months ago, saying that they'd _both_ be able to make it, but it was halfway through the night now and neither were there.

Shifting his glass to his left hand, he pulled out his phone and tapped out a quick message, asking if they were still coming. He didn't have to wait long for a reply, but frowned when he saw only one word. _**'No'**_

He was about to ask why when he got another, only this one nearly made his heart stop. He didn't even realize he'd dropped his glass until Furuyas' hand on his shoulder brought him back. Looking up, he found the others were crowded around him, wondering what was wrong.

With slightly shaking hands, he turned the screen so everyone else could see. _**'They found Haruichi.'**_

* * *

**I'm thinking that somewhere, someone is angry at me for stopping here. I _was_ planning on just having this be the second part and ending it like this, but I feel as though you all need more, so I'm going to keep going. _Maybe_. Do you want more? Or should I end it here? Honestly, I kind of like this ending, but I do have more ideas if you want this to continue. Let me know~**


	3. Chapter 3

Ryousuke sighed as he slumped onto the couch, leaning his head against the back and staring at the ceiling. "Long day?" Kuramochi gave his boyfriend a kiss and sat next to him, handing him a mug. The pink haired male simply took a sip and nodded, laying his head on the younger males' shoulder.

Kuramochi smiled and wrapped an arm around him. Neither said anything for a while, simply relaxing against each other as they unwound from their days.

Ryousuke had finally become a certified orthopedic sports medicine specialist to help athletes prevent and recover from injuries. He'd seen firsthand what could and did happen, as had they all, and wanted to help. His brother turning up missing and then being declared dead had been a hard blow, and he'd thrown himself into his studies, graduating early. He'd taken half a year off around the funeral, but still managed to get his license and was now in the process of opening his own clinic in the empty store below their apartment.

Kuramochi, who was teaching baseball at the sports center down the street agreed to help as much as he could, even being the secretary until they could find a replacement. His degree was in computer science, focusing on programming games, but his first love was baseball. He still programmed games and sold them, but it was more a hobby than an actual career.

Sighing heavily when his phone rang, Ryousuke debated for a few seconds if he should pick up before setting down his mug, digging it out of his pocket and answering it.

"Hello?"

_'Kominato Ryousuke?'_ Said male raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar woman's voice.

"Yes?"

_'Ah, I tried to get in touch with your parents, but they wouldn't pick up.'_

"They're overseas on business." Just like their son, the devastated parents had thrown themselves into their work. They were almost never home, unable to remain in the house that was overflowing with memories of their youngest.

_'I see. My name is Kotari Hana. I'm calling in regards to the missing persons' case for your younger brother, Kominato Haruichi.'_

Ryousuke felt his mouth go dry and he swallowed. Kuramochi rubbed his shoulder reassuringly when he felt the shorter male tense up. Setting his own mug down, he wrapped his other arm around him and kissed the top of his head. "Wa…What about it?"

_'We've located your brother Kominato-san.'_

Opening and closing his mouth a few times, Ryousuke wasn't sure how to respond. He'd only _just_ gotten over the fact that his brother was gone, and finally admitted to himself that he was probably dead. Now they wanted to tell him he was _alive_? "I…Is…Is he…"

Hana hesitated, causing Ryousuke to tear up. So he was. He'd finally accepted it, and now he had proof. At least now they had a body for the empty grave. _'He's…not dead but…we're not entirely sure he's alive either. It's actually rather complicated as…'_

Ryousuke had tuned her out and dropped the phone after the words _'not dead'_ had been uttered. He didn't even notice the tears trickling down his face.

Kuramochi gently wiped them away and tilted the pink haired males' head up. "What's wrong?"

The shorter male let out a mix between a sob and a laugh, hugging his boyfriend tight and leaning up to kiss him. "He…He's alive Youichi. They…they found him! Thank God, Thank God! He's alive."

Letting his lover mutter prayers and 'thank you's, he picked up the discarded phone. "Hello?"

_'Kominato-san?'_

"No, this is Kuramochi Youichi."

_'Ah, I'm Kotari Hana. I was informing Kominato-san that we've located his brother.'_ The brown haired male swallowed and let her continue. _'As I was telling Kominato-kun, he's not dead, but we're not sure he's alive either.'_

"What do you mean?"

_'From an anonymous source, we've managed to locate a large building filled with missing children from across the globe and decades.'_

"Decades?"

_'Yes. From what we've managed to gather a group of people have been…'collecting' I should say, children from across the globe and essentially freezing them in an effort to preserve their looks, or a unique aspect that very few have. We're currently in the process of attempting to figure out a way to 'unfreeze' the children and return them to their families or somewhere they will be cared for._

_'Unfortunately, we are not yet sure of exactly _how_ this group managed to preserve all these children. As such, we do not yet know how to undo it. I can assure you that we are doing everything we can and will contact you as soon as we figure something out. I-'_

"Where is he?" Kuramochi blinked and looked at his empty hand and then to Ryousuke.

_'I…excuse me?'_

"Where. Is. My. Baby. Brother."

Chuckling, Kuramochi planted another kiss on Ryousukes' head before leaving him to bully the answer out of the poor officer while he took the now cold mugs of tea back to the kitchen. Dumping the tea down the drain, he proceeded to wash the mugs while he waited.

He'd only _just_ set the first mug on the drying rack when Ryousuke walked in. "Get your keys."

Smiling, the younger male nodded and grabbed his jacket, keys and wallet before slipping on his shoes and following an impatient pink haired male down the stairs and to the car. Settling in the drivers' seat, he buckled himself in and checked his mirrors before turning to his lover. "Where are we headed?"

* * *

**For those who haven't noticed, I'm purposely making the chapters short. Not only does this allow me to get them up faster it also allows me to jump around with the timeline more :) Don't forget to let me know what you think! And yes, I can see how many people read these stories. I'm a little bummed out by how few reviews I get compared to the amount who read it, but I guess I'm happy you're reading it at all. I'm pretty sure that I can fit about...5 more? chapters. I'm not sure. It depends on a lot of things I won't bore you with.**

**So please review! It means a lot to me!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A lot shorter, I know.**

* * *

Hana looked up as a car pulled in front of the building. She straightened when two men stepped out. One was tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. After he locked the door he shoved both the keys and his right hand into his pocket while the left went around the other male.

She didn't even have to ask to know this was Kominato Ryousuke. The resemblance to his younger brother was great. Both had pink hair, though she wasn't sure on either color, as Ryousukes' were closed as well. He was a little under average height, and had broad shoulders.

"Kominato-san and Kuramochi-san I presume?" Her smile faltered a little when she noticed the impatient look on the shorter males' face. "Ah, right this way." Turning, she let the two inside the building and guided them past a multitude of rooms and a few staircases.

She heard one of them mutter something to the other, though she wasn't sure what was said or even who said it. More than likely it was Kuramochi speaking some encouraging words or explaining something to the pink haired older brother.

Leading them up a flight of stairs and around a few corners, she finally stopped and entered one of the rooms. Passing through a row of frozen children, she came to a stop in front of one and turned to the two males behind her. "I'll be outside if you need me."

Kuramochi nodded and quietly thanked her while Ryousuke approached the container. He put one hand up against the glass, over his brothers' face and slowly slid it down. He didn't say anything, simply taking in the sight of his baby brother.

Haruichi hadn't changed one bit, but that was to be expected as he'd been frozen or 'preserved' as the officer had put it. Well, he had changed a little, but that was someone else's doing. His bangs had been cut and styled, with the rest having been trimmed a little, and if you looked closely, his nails had been cut, filed and glossed.

All in all, to Kuramochi, it looked as though he'd been to a spa before he'd been frozen. Glancing at the containers around him, he noticed all the children looked like they had been pampered and taken care of before they'd been preserved. _'Almost like a collection of dolls.'_ Kuramochi shivered at the thought.

Ryousuke felt like crying. His brother was alive. He was safe. He was _right in front of him_, but Ryousuke still couldn't touch him. He couldn't wrap him up in a hug and keep him safe from everything. He couldn't hear his heartbeat, or run his fingers though his hair. He couldn't tell him how scared he'd been, when nobody could find him. He couldn't feel the warmth of his skin, of the ghost of his breath. He couldn't see the big blue eyes that he'd made Haruichi promise not to show anyone but him.

He couldn't touch his brother. Even when he was right in front of him, it felt like he was losing his baby brother all over again.

He placed his head against the cool glass, wishing there was something he could do. Hoping they'd find a way to reverse this soon. _Praying_ that his brother would be alright.

Because Ryousuke couldn't lose Haruichi again.

* * *

**Enjoy this little baby chapter while I attempt to write longer scenes. We're getting closer to the end, I can _feel_ it. Let me know what you thought!**


	5. Chapter 5

Hana nearly skipped through the building, a smile on her face. She was humming a children's song under her breath as she followed the familiar route. She couldn't _wait_ to share the news! Stopping before the door, she cleared her throat and straightened her uniform.

Pushing the door open, she took a deep breath and focused on the two males inside. Kominato Ryousuke had refused to leave after he'd arrived, only doing so when Kuramochi Youichi (his lover she'd come to know) had dragged him back to their shared apartment for a shower, a change of clothes and some food.

Other than that, Youichi would leave the pink haired male here for the day while he went to his job before coming back with dinner. The two spent their nights curled up next to Ryousukes' younger brother.

It had been nearly a month since they'd been informed of the youngest Kominatos' predicament. Since then, Hana had managed to contact his parents who'd come as soon as they were able. They'd attempted to stay like their eldest son, but couldn't bear seeing their baby in that state.

They'd left after the second day and only returned for short visits.

Stepping inside, she cleared her throat again, gaining the attention of the two males. "Kotari-san?" Kuramochi looked mildly surprised, which was expected as none of the officers ever interrupted the two unless it was necessary. They were all too busy with their hunt for the group responsible as well as attempting to reverse what had happened.

"I thought you'd want to know that we've made a breakthrough." She tried to keep a blank face, but her excitement wouldn't let her. "Our researchers believe they've found a way to reverse this. They're going to start a few days from now, though to make sure it works they're going to start with the ones who have been here the longest before moving onto the more recent ones."

As excited as she was, Hana couldn't help but feel sorry for the frozen children. The oldest ones were going to be test subjects so that if it failed and the children died, nobody would miss them. It didn't sit right with her. She knew better than to argue, however, as the decision had been made by the higher ups not long after they'd started their research.

"That's great!" Kuramochi grinned and hugged the shorter male close, pressing a kiss to his temple. Ryousuke seemed to relax for the first time in a month, a relieved smile on his face as he stared up at his brother.

Turning to the woman, he stood up and bowed. "Thank you."

Hana turned red and waved her hands in front of her. "I-I didn't do anything! P-Please, you d-don't have to thank me! I…I'm just doing my job." Ryousuke's shoulders shook as he laughed, tears falling from his eyes. Collapsing back, he landed on Kuramochi, who was smiling as well. Hana put her hands over her face as she blushed even more. "W-What? What's so funny?"

"I…I'm sorry. I…You reminded me of Haruichi. He would react the same way when someone thanked him." Gazing up at the container, he lightly touched it. "You two would get along great."

Hana slowly lowered her hands. Looking at the boy encased by glass and frozen in time, she wondered if that were true. Had this not happened, they'd more than likely be around the same age. Maybe they could have been friends, or even more. He _was_ cute, and if what his brother said was true then he was shy and probably humble.

Blinking, Hanas' face seemed to explode with heat. What was she thinking! He was too young! Sure, they were _technically_ about the same age, but that wasn't the point! He'd been frozen for ten years, almost eleven! He was still a teenager! There was no way it would work out!

Shaking her head, she quickly fumbled over an excuse before bowing and leaving. She ran through the building, sinking to her knees when she figured she was far enough away and burying her face in her hands. _'Hana you idiot! How could you think that?! Just because his brother says he's like you and you'd get along doesn't mean that it's true! And even if he's a little cute, and probably shy, and-'_

"What are you doing?" Hana jumped and screamed, one hand clutching her chest as she whirled to face the person who'd startled her. Her superior officer, Minura Takashi, simply raised an eyebrow.

"I-Minura-senpai! I…it's not…I…did you need something?" She hung her head, embarrassed by her display.

"There are a group of people here looking for the two you've been letting stay here."

"I…I'll take care of it sir. I…I'm sorry." She bowed and followed him to the front before bowing again and heading outside. She paused for a moment when she saw a large group of males dressed nicely standing before her. She flushed a bit and straightened her uniform before stepping outside. "Can I help you?"

/

Eijun shivered and stepped closer to Chris, who wrapped an arm around him. He didn't like this place. It felt like a museum, but with living people. It was eerily quiet, the bright lights illuminating the rooms filled with containers that each held a child.

They followed Kotari down the corridors, none of them saying anything. What _could_ they say? As soon as they'd seen the text from Kuramochi, Miyuki had demanded to know where they were and everyone crammed into their cars or taxies, rushing to meet their friends.

"Here we are." Miyuki thanked her and entered the room first, followed closely by Furuya and the others.

The first thing Eijun noticed was Kuramochi and Ryousuke, who were sitting on the floor together. There was a futon folded up nearby, signaling that they'd been here for a while. The next thing he noticed was the tears. He'd never seen the older Kominato cry. Sure, he'd seen the puffy eyes and heard the horse voice, but he'd never actually _seen_ the older male cry. The third thing he noticed was that both males looked happy.

The last thing Eijun noticed was the container the two were in front of. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry as he looked at the plaque. Haruichis' name was on top, with two dates directly below. It looked disturbingly like a grave stone.

Trailing his eyes up, he took in the sight of his missing friend. He hadn't changed a bit. He still looked _exactly_ the same as what Eijun remembered. "H…Haru…cchi."

"Youichi…Ryou-san…what happened?" Miyuki didn't take his gaze off the container, but his hand gripped Furuyas' tightly.

"According to Kotari-san the group has been 'collecting' children for their looks for decades from all over the world." Kuramochi looked disgusted as he explained, nearly spitting out the word 'collecting'.

"How long have you been here?" Chris gestured to the futon, squeezing Eijuns' shoulder slightly.

"We got the call almost a month ago. Ryou-san's refused to leave since."

"Why the fuck did it take you so long to let us know?" Jun scowled, glancing at Tetsu when the other male gripped his hand.

"I forgot until Kazuya texted me about the get-together." Only Tetsu's hand on Juns' shoulder kept the tall male back from strangling his junior.

"Are they able to undo this?" Eijun didn't like seeing his friend like this. He was like a statue, or a doll. He was almost like a corpse that had been decorated and put on display.

"Kotari-san just told us that they're going to start in a few days. It should only be a week or so until they go to Haruichi." Ryousuke looked happier than he had in years.

* * *

**I have a feeling this is going to be longer than I expected. Let me know what you thought!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Nothing really about the AoD characters in this chapter, sorry.**

* * *

"God damn it!" Masura Kenma slammed his hands down on the table in front of him. Taking a deep, shuddering breath he collapsed into a chair, putting his head in his hands.

He'd been working for two months, _two months_, to try and undo this horrifying work of genius. He'd never seen anything like this. At first he'd thought it was done under the same pretexts as cryogenics, but that was quickly ruled out.

There was nothing even remotely resembling that process. The officers were calling the children 'frozen', but there was nothing about them that was 'frozen'. 'Preserved' was better, but Masura would use the term 'dollafied'. These children had almost literally been turned into dolls.

The containers they were in were little more than display cases. They were easily broken and served no other purpose than to keep hands off the 'collection'. The children themselves, however, seemed to be almost _coated_ in something that kept them alive and flawless. It was hard, like plastic, but clear like glass and as thin as paper.

And no matter what they tried, it wouldn't break.

They'd been careful at first, not wanting to hurt the children, but it had soon become clear that there was _nothing_ in this world that could break it. Freezing it had done no good, and even heating it to extreme temperatures didn't work.

Whoever had invented it was a genius. Masura wasn't sure he was up to the task anymore.

Gazing blankly around the room, he yawned and stretched. Everyone else had already gone home, seeing as how it was so late.

His eyes fell onto the child they'd brought in. She had to have been one of the first, judging by her clothing, but she had no name or date on her plaque. She didn't even have a plaque at all. The earliest they'd found was from the 1700's, but there had been other children in deeper parts of the building whose placement and clothing suggested earlier time periods.

"I'm sorry." He knew the girl couldn't hear him, but he felt as though he should apologize. When he'd agreed to take on this task, he'd sworn to do all he could in an attempt to free them. Seeing all these children like this, when he and his wife couldn't have any of their own, was heartbreaking.

Walking over to the small three year old, he placed a hand on top of her brown curls. "I bet your family was upset when you went missing. They probably searched all over for you, wondering if you were alive or not."

Leaning against the counter, he thought about his wife. Feeling a sudden urge to talk with her and hear her voice, he pulled out his phone.

He felt guilty when she picked up and uttered a tired greeting. "Did I wake you?"

_'Mm. What's wrong?'_ She always knew when he was upset or worried about something. It was one of the many things he loved about her.

"I'm stuck. We've tried everything, but _nothing_ is working. I…I don't know what to do anymore. I'm almost ready to give up and come home."

_'Don't you dare. You made a promise to those children to help them and I swear to all that is good in this world if you come home without having figured out how to help then you'd better be ready to find another wife. I didn't marry a quitter. I married an amazing man who would go to the ends of the earth to find an answer.'_

"I want to! I just don't know _how_. I've tried _everything_. I don't know what else to do! I'm at my wits end here."

_'Then try stepping back for a while. Close your eyes and don't think about the problem. Think about something else. Go for a walk, get some food and sleep for a bit. Let yourself relax and when you feel better, go back and try again. I know you can do this. Don't wear yourself out.'_

"Are you sure that'll work?"

_'You said it yourself. You've tried everything. A little time away won't hurt, so long as you go back. Those children need you.'_

"I know. Go back to sleep, sorry for waking you."

_'I love you.'_

"I love you too. I'll be home as soon as I find a solution."

He waited until she hung up before he pocketed his phone, feeling lighter than he had in days. She always knew the right things to say, and for the millionth time he wondered how he'd gotten so lucky that she'd said yes.

Looking around again, he figured a little nap wouldn't hurt. The silence was a little unnerving though, so he took out his phone again and scrolled through the music he had. Pausing, he stared at the music list. Something was nagging at the back of his mind.

Slowly pressing play, he decided to let it simmer at the back of his mind, knowing already that if he pushed it he'd lose it completely. Yawning, he closed his eyes and laid his head on the table, setting his phone nearby and letting the music wash over him.

It was soft, not like the music he used to listen to as a teenager that he could crank up so loud the bass would almost vibrate the house. His mother used to tell him if he kept it up the house would fall because of all the shaking and-

He jolted upright. The shaking! That's what he'd wanted to remember! He'd read a paper in university about someone experimenting with sound waves and what they could do at different frequencies! Maybe-

His heart was pounding loudly in his ears as he ran into the hall, yelling for an officer who was always nearby to help provide whatever they needed. Rattling off instructions, he went back to the space they'd been assigned to work and started pacing the room. If he was right…if this worked…

Stopping, he stared at the little girl again. "We'll get you out of there, don't worry. We'll get you all out."

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**Another small chapter, but we're getting there! Don't forget to review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**So...I kind of gave up here at the end. I honestly wasn't sure _how_ I was going to end it. Sorry in advance for any mistakes or for things that aren't consistent with the rest of the story. I tried, and it didn't want to work with me.**

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Hana smiled as she saw the paramedics looking over the small, brown haired girl. They'd finally figured out how to undo the process, and that little girl had been the first. Everyone had held their breaths, waiting to see if she was still alive.

Hana nearly fell to her knees and stared praying when the doctors announced she had a pulse.

Turning back, she made her way down the steps toward where they'd found the girl. The police were currently in the process of moving the children from the lowest levels up so they could reverse the process. She wanted to make sure they didn't accidently miss one and slowly made her way around the room, smiling at the empty containers.

It had taken them about two and a half months, but they had done it. They'd cracked the code to fixing this and returning the children they could to their families.

Now all that was left was to catch the group behind all this and make sure they couldn't do it to any others. That, however, would probably take much longer.

Reaching the end of the row, she turned back and started back, only to scream and jump backward when a spider appeared before her. Curling into a corner, she held her breath and waited until it was gone before slowly sighing.

If there was one thing she absolutely could not stand, it was spiders. The mere thought of them made her shiver. Putting one hand on the wall to help herself up, she yelped when it gave way, revealing another staircase.

Staring wide eyed, she got up and ran, not wanting anything to do with dark, creepy, hidden staircases. She'd had enough of this horror fest already. She'd let her superiors handle it.

/

Ryousuke glared at the officers when they lifted his brother. The only reason he wasn't shoving them out of the way and taking Haruichi himself was because Kuramochi had a tight hold on his arm, telling him that the officers would take care of it.

That didn't stop the pink haired male from following closely behind, burning holes into the officers' backs as a warning to be gentle. He watched as they slowly set him down in the middle of what appeared to be two giant speakers. He didn't even notice the other children around him that were being checked by paramedics and reunited with their families.

Haruna clutched her husbands' hand, tears already falling as she watched her baby. She wasn't sure what was happening, but buried her head in Ryounosukes' shoulder as whatever had been over Haruichi started wavering. She couldn't bear to watch.

She only looked up when Ryounosuke touched her shoulder, sobbing when she saw her baby lying limply in his brothers' arms. She pulled them both close, planting wet kisses on both their faces while her husband wrapped his arms around all three.

Ryousuke simply clutched Haruichi tightly, afraid that if he let him go he'd lose his brother again.

/

When Haruichi had been given the all clear to go home, Ryousuke wasted no time in getting him out of the building he'd been trapped in the past eleven years. He didn't want his brother anywhere near that place ever again.

Haruna and Ryounosuke went to pack some of their things from the house, along with all of Haruichis' things, before returning and staying with their eldest and his lover for a while. They wanted to be there when their youngest woke up, and Ryousuke had made it clear that his brother wasn't going to leave his sights again.

Kuramochi had a feeling he didn't just mean until he was readjusted with his body and the world around him.

When they arrived back at their apartment, the first thing Ryousuke did was place Haruichi on the couch (after kicking off the others who'd been waiting there for them) and piling nearly every blanket in the house on top of him, slipping a pillow under his head.

Sitting on the ground, he rested his cheek on the couch, slipping one hand under the blanket and intertwining it with Haruichis' while he stared at his younger brothers' face, searching for any flaws while etching it into his memory.

Kuramochi sighed and faced the others who seemed to be waiting for an explanation. "The doctors said there's nothing wrong, but they're estimating three to four days before he wakes up. They said not to panic if he has some trouble moving or if his memories are fuzzy and to just give him time to readjust.

"They also suggested that we slowly tell him what happened, since he'll more than likely think hardly any time has passed. The government is still deciding how this should be handled, because there were so many involved and barely any are able to actually return to their families."

"But Harucchi's going to be alright, isn't he?" Eijun didn't want anything else to happen to the younger Kominato. He'd already been through enough.

"I'm sure they won't do anything." Chris kisses his boyfriends' forehead.

"It's going to be a lot different for him when he wakes up. Everyone he knows is so much older than him now. Not to mention all the advances in technology." Nori felt bad for the pink haired male. One second he was celebrating graduation and the next he was waking up eleven years in the future, everything but him changed.

"And what about school? Are you going to have him enroll somewhere nearby or online or homeschool? It's not like he can just pick up right where he left off. And then there's the matter of him being legally dead, which is probably one of the things being decided by the government." Miyuki sighed. There really was a lot to think about.

"We'll deal with that later." Ryousuke didn't look away from his brother. "For now, we'll just let him adjust." His tone was clear that he wasn't going to speak anymore on the subject, so the others looked at each other before dropping it.

Kuramochi steered the conversation to old memories of their time in high school along with some stories from college and from their jobs. One by one, their friends left with a promise to check in and see how it was going every now and then.

When the last one finally left, Kuramochi shook his head when he found Ryousuke had fallen asleep next to his brother, their hands still intertwined under all the blankets.

/

It was the end of the third day when Haruichi finally showed signs of waking up, and Ryousuke hadn't let him out of his sight the entire time. Currently, he was snuggled next to Kuramochi on the couch, Haruichi settled on his lap and wrapped up in a blanket (Kuramochi had convinced him that piling every blanket they had on him wasn't helping anyone) and they were watching a movie.

When Haruichi let out a little whine and moved a tiny bit, all of Ryousukes' attention moved to his brother. Kuramochi shook his head with a smile and paused the movie. The two waited in near silence as the younger Kominato ever so slowly started opening his eyes.

"Haruichi?" Ryousuke tilted his brothers' face up so he could see him. "Hey, Haruichi, look at me."

Unfocused eyes turned toward the sound of the voice, and Haruichi blinked a few times before squinting and finally smiling in recognition. He moved his mouth, but no words came out.

"You're still tired. Go back to sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up, alright?" The younger pink haired male nodded slowly and rested his head against his brothers' shoulder once more, his eyes sliding shut as he once again drifted off to sleep.

Kuramochi wound his arm around his lovers' shoulder and kissed him before gently brushing some hair from Haruichis' face. He knew that for a long time after this, Ryousukes' attention would be primarily on his little brother, but he could deal with it. He'd had the older male to himself for these past few years, he figured sharing for a while wouldn't hurt.

And besides, it wouldn't be so bad, having a little brother like Haruichi. At least he'd have someone to play his games against and could possibly give him a challenge. Maybe he could even teach him a thing or two about making them. He was sure Ryousuke wouldn't mind, as it would give the younger male more of a reason to stay indoors.

And with the way Ryousuke was acting, Haruichi wouldn't be going outside for a very long time.

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**Yay! The story is done! Don't forget to let me know how you liked it! And while this is the end, I will probably be posting an epilogue at some point. It may be tomorrow or it may be later, it depends of if I can get it finished. Hope you enjoyed it!**


	8. Epilogue

Hana looked at the two before her, unsure how to start.

"There was something you wanted to tell us?" Kuramochi prompted, attempting to make the woman more comfortable. Glancing to Ryousuke, he cleared his throat. "Does it have to do with Haruichi?"

"Yes and no." Taking a deep breath she nodded and began. "Searching the warehouse more thoroughly, we found the substance used to…'preserve'…the children. I'm not going to go into the details, as we're not entirely sure on them either, but it's something we've never seen before. While discovering that, we also found something interesting.

"It was a journal, from a very long time ago. We assume it was by the father of one of the girls who we deemed one of the first. In it, he explains that his daughter had gotten lost and found this strange lake. He'd warned her to stay away, but she had continued going back, eventually falling in and becoming the first 'preserved' child.

"The father was horrified this happened but had no way to reverse the effects. He attempted to warn the others so their children wouldn't have the same fate, but instead others looked to him as a priest of some sort. People started to come to him with their sick children that were said to not be curable, so they could remain alive until a cure was found.

"We're not sure when it switched from saving children to simply 'collecting' them. From what we can tell, after the father died, the lake became a legend that eventually died out, but we think someone believed it and searched for it until they found it and then started their 'collection'."

Falling silent, she let the two digest the news.

"So all this started as something to help children?" Kuramochi summed up. Hana nodded.

"Even if it started with good intentions, it doesn't change the fact that those bastards' took Haruichi."

"Ryou-san…"

"I thought he was _dead_ Youichi. I thought I'd never get to see him again. I…I thought…" Standing up, he went to the window and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. After he was sure his voice was level did he ask, "Have you found them yet?"

Hana bit her lip and looked down. "I…no, not yet. We're still looking, and we won't give up until we find them. I can promise you that." The pink haired male nodded.

Shifting in the uncomfortable silence, Hana asked, "Ho…How is he? Your brother I mean."

"He's adjusting. He's still not sure what happened, and the fact that everyone he knew is suddenly a lot older than him is a little difficult for him to grasp at times. He's doing better though, seeing as how he regained control over his body." Kuramochi glanced at Ryousuke whose eyes were trained at something in the distance before back at Hana.

"Where is he now?"

"Ah, he hasn't been feeling very well, so he's sleeping now. The doctors' told us his immune system is a little lower than normal, but it's nothing to worry about."

Hana nodded and stood up. "Well, that's all I wanted to let you know. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, and I'll be going now."

Kuramochi nodded and stood up as well, showing her to the door. He stopped her before she left and bowed slightly. "Thank you, for everything. It may be your job, but it still means a lot, especially since you came all the way out here just to let us know what you found out."

"No, I'm sorry that I upset Kominato-san."

"Don't worry about Ryou-san. He's happy to have Haruichi back, but is terrified of losing him again. He's keeping him in a sort of protective bubble and this just brought up memories he'd rather forget. So don't worry about anything, it's not your fault." Hana nodded and thanked the man for his hospitality and time before turning and leaving.

Heading back to find his lover, Kuramochi smiled as he leaned against the doorway. Ryousuke was sitting by Haruichis' bed, replacing the cold cloth on his forehead and tucking him in. It was times like this that the brow haired male felt as though he and his lover were parents to the teen.

Grinning, he wondered if he should bring up the topic of adoption now or later. After all, he was sure Haruichi would enjoy having a little brother/nephew to look after.

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**So we finally come to the end! This is now officially over, so let me know what you thought!**


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